I'm With You
by Lyrical Ema
Summary: Fate and Alicia are twins, living with their single mother who abuses Fate. Fate doesn't tell Alicia, but she is found out after Nanoha reveals the secret that Fate has shared with her. Rated T for some mature themes. NanoAlicia and some vague NanoFate.
1. Chapter 1: Truths

**Authoress Note: **_To clarify, I don't exactly know Alicia or Fate's or Nanoha's ages. Anywhere from 13-15, I'd say. I'll definitely have decided by chapter 2, though, but all of them are still wearing pigtails, which tips you off about the less-than-16 age-limit…_

_For those of you STILL waiting for Currebat and/or Fire and Ice, I deeply apologize…I really feel the need to write new things! Thanks for being patient; I promise Fire and Ice will be updated by Friday!_

"Alicia-neechan?" asked Fate Testarossa softly, knocking on the door to her sister's room. "Alicia-nee?" she opened the door, revealing a sleeping girl with long blond hair, wearing an overlarge blue T-shirt, half out of bed, one foot on the carpeted floor.

She opened one eye as her twin sister came in. "Good morning, Fate-nee," she said, smiling brightly at Fate and scrambling to her feet. "How are you?"

"Good," lied Fate. "Mother made yo—breakfast. Are you hungry?" she asked lightly, changing the subject quickly.

Alicia squinted at her twin sister for a second, then relaxed. "Can you help me find my uniform?" she asked sweetly, cocking her head to the side. Fate sighed.

"All right, all right," she said good-naturedly, pretending to be annoyed as she rifled through piles of discarded clothing for the wrinkled school uniform her sister tossed aside as soon as she got home. She held up the shirt and skirt after a minute's searching. "Here," she threw them at her sister, who had already pulled off her T-shirt.

"Thanks, Fate-nee," Alicia said, pulling on the shirt and arranging the bow carefully. Then she pulled on the skirt, smoothing the creases and grabbed two bright blue ribbons from her bedside table, putting her hair up in pigtails, the same style as her twin. "Mou…you wore the same black ribbons today," Alicia complained, half-dragging her sister down the stairs and towards the dining roo table. "What happened to the yellow ones I got you?"

"I wore these today for the first time!" protested Fate. "They're on my bedside table, you know…I mean…" she stiffened suddenly, her dark maple eyes suddenly wide with fear. Alicia gripped her arm tightly.

"What were you saying, Fate-nee?" she asked, looking at her sister with concern. She frowned. "You're shaking, what's…"

"Why are you touching my Alicia, Fate?" asked Precia Testarossa, her dark eyes glittering. She said Alicia's name like talking about an angel. Fate's name might as well been "cockroach" or "rat". Her hand was hooked on her leather belt that kept her thin jeans high on her waist, the long nails tapping the fabric as if anxious to strike.

"S-sorry, Mother," whispered Fate, slipping out of Alicia's grip and stepping away from her and bowing quickly. "I-I'm going to school now," she said quickly, practically running towards the door, her hands shaking.

"Mother," Alicia said in soft disapproval. "What did you do to Fate-nee?"

Precia turned like a theif caught by a police officer, her hands locked together, twitching uncomfortably. Then she steadied herself, drawing herself to her full height, her eyes flashing dangerously. "That is no sister of yours," she said angrily. "She is a monster. An unnatural, ugly, hideous…"

"That is enough, Mother," Alicia interrupted sharply. "Fate-nee and I are going to school now," she turned abruptly and left the room, Precia staring after her, eyes wide and pleading.

"But…your breakfast…"

Alicia stopped and turned, her eyes flickering coldly. "I will eat when Fate-nee eats," she said quietly, and turned into the hallway, not looking back at Precia's heartbroken gaze.

Fate looked up at her twin sister. "You shouldn't have done that to Mother," she whispered quietly. "Mother cares about you a lot,"

"I don't care," said Alicia hotly. "The way she looks at you…"

Fate shook her head, surprising Alicia with a small smile. "But I love Mother, no matter what she does or thinks of me. To me, Mother is still Mother,"  
Alicia smiled at her. "I'm sure that she will come to love you someday,"

"Yes," Fate agreed. "Maybe someday," she held out a hand to her sister. "We're going to be late, Alicia-nee," Fate reminded her.

"Oh, right!" cried Alicia, jumping to her feet. She pointed at her shoes, which buckled themselves, then dashed outside, into the sunlight, Fate close behind her. "Hurry up!" Alicia yelled as Fate fell behind. When Fate did not speed up, Alicia turned back and grabbed her sister's hand. "Slowpoke," she whispered in her ear teasingly, then started running again, pulling Fate with her.

Fate blushed. "We'll be late," she warned her sister. "I'm slowing you down,"

"Stupid Fate-nee," Alicia laughed. "You're not slowing me down. I can go just as fast with you here as I can alone," she looked up suddenly. "Eh…we're on time!" she observed happily. "Wow, skipping breakfast does wonders for you,"

"Fate-chan!" came a loud voice, and Alicia found herself wrapped in the arms of a girl with auburn hair in short pigtails.

"Ehh…Nanoha-chan?" asked Alicia. Nanoha looked up and blushed bright red.

"S-s-sorry, Alicia-chan," Nanoha stammered, releasing Alicia and stepping back. She looked at the girl with dark ribbons in her hair with a sheepish expression. "Hi, Fate-chan,"

"Good morning, Nanoha," said Fate, walking forward to stand next to her sister. "Ah…" she cringed as Nanoha's blue eyes widened. _Crap. _

"Your arm!" Nanoha gasped, noticing the stiff way that Fate held herself. She grabbed Fate and rolled up her shirtsleeve. "It…" she swallowed, plainly horrified by the bruises that marked Fate's pale skin. Her eyes darkened. "Did she do this to you?" she asked, looking down at the bruises again.

"Uh…"

But it was too late. Alicia was looking at her as well, her eyes filled with horror, her mouth open. "Mother…did this to you?" she asked.

Fate shook her head. "No, of course not," she lied. "I fell on the way home from school yesterday when you were at club,"

"Liar," Alicia said, her eyes filling with tears. "You're a liar,"

"Alicia—"

Alicia turned away as Fate stretched out a hand. "How could you, Fate?" she asked.

Fate's hand dropped. "Sorry…Oneesama," she whispered sadly, and turned away. Nanoha wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked slowly into the school.

***

Hayate Yagami opened her blue eyes slowly and turned to find Fate Testarossa staring at her with large, dark eyes, a smirk playing across her lips.

"Good morning, Hayate-chan," Fate said.

"G-Good morning…Fate-chan," answered Hayate. Then she looked at the girl before her. Really looked, and sat up, frowning at the girl. "Mou, Alicia-chan, you really shouldn't do that to me!" she said angrily. But she was smiling, and Alicia laughed.

"My dear oneechan is long gone," she said, a hint of sadness in her lilting voice. "But I'm here, and clubs are over,"

"I slept a long time," commented Hayate.

"Vita-chan, Shamal-sempai and Signum-sempai are all waiting for you outside," Alicia informed her.

"Eh…I better hurry, then!" Hayate said, clambering to her feet and stumbling out of the classroom. Alicia was left alone. She crawled under one of the high desks and sat there, thinking to herself.

_What is happening at home that I don't know about? What is mother doing that I don't know about…? Why did Fate lie to me? I'm so confused, I can't think…Mother loves me so much, so why doesn't she love Fate? Fate loves Mother, and…_

"Oneesama,"

Alicia looked up to find Fate's solemn face staring at her, a mirror image. Fate held out a hand, and Alicia took it grudgingly, pulling herself out from under the desk and to her feet.

"Fate?" asked Alicia, looking at her twin oddly. "What's wrong? Are you…" she faltered, her voice breaking off.

"I'm fine," Fate insisted, shaking her head. Alicia was not convinced. She twisted so that she could look at her sister's face, and discovered that tears stained Fate's cheeks. Fate turned away. "I'm fine," she repeated.

Alicia wrapped her arms around her sister. "Sorry…" she whispered. "I was mad at you for lying to me,"

Fate shook her head. "It was my fault. I just…didn't want to tell you. About Mother," she answered quietly. "But…"

"She won't touch you, Fate-nee!"

Fate smiled lightly. "I know, Alicia," she whispered. "But, I can't stay. If someone finds out…Mother will not be allowed to stay with us,"

Alicia's temper flared and she stepped away from her twin, hands on her hips, glaring. "Nanoha Takamachi talked you into this, didn't she?" When Fate didn't answer, Alicia sighed. "I swear, that girl has you wrapped around her pinky finger,"

"No!" protested Fate. "Nanoha didn't…"

"Well, this sure as hell isn't your idea," growled Alicia. "I know you, and you wouldn't leave unless someone talked you into it,"

"She's right, Fate-chan,"

A steely-eyed Nanoha Takamachi came into the room, hands clenched into tight fists. "I asked Fate-chan to leave, and come stay with me," she said steadily. "I won't let her stay with that…monster," she met Alicia's glare with a cool but determined gaze, and Alicia walked up to her, truly angry now.

"Just who the hell do you think you are? This is between me and my sister, and it's really none of your business," Alicia hissed furiously, face-to-face with Nanoha now.

"Alicia-nee…Nanoha…" Fate said weakly, but neither girl paid any attention to her.

"Have you seen Fate's injuries?" Nanoha asked coldly.

"Her arm…"

Nanoha laughed—it was cold and frightening, full of carefully controlled anger. Hardly a laugh at all. "Oh, no. Fate-chan has cuts and bruises all over her body. This has been happening for weeks now," she whispered.

"And just how the hell do you know that?" asked Alicia, clenching her fists.

"Alicia-nee…" whispered Fate. "Stop…"

Nanoha ignored Fate. "Because I've seen them," she answered easily.

"Really?" asked Alicia, putting on a bored expression. "Because I'm sure that Fate doesn't _take her clothes off _in front of you,"

Nanoha smiled cruelly. "Then you'd be surprised at how much you _don't know,"_

"Alicia-nee!" cried Fate, running forward to stop her twin from slapping Nanoha across the face. "I can explain! It's just that Nanoha found out, so she asked me to show her my injuries, and I did..." she trailed off miserably at the expression on Alicia's face.

"What?" asked Alicia flatly, her dark eyes turning practically black with anger. "Injuries _where?"_ the last word was little more than a hiss.

Nanoha answered. "Under her shirt. Not on her legs, Precia thought that would be too obvious," her voice was dead, emotionless; not the controlled anger Alicia's tone held, but more like she was trying to detatch herself from the experience altogether. "There are only lighter, less noticable injuries there. You won't see them unless you look closely,"

Alicia clenched her fists and turned to her sister, who flinched. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her eyes and voice softening as she read the fearful expression in her twin's eyes.

Fate looked down. "I…I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough, to…stop Mother…and I don't mind, really, it's not a big deal, and…"

"She could hardly walk last Tuesday," whispered Nanoha.

"Show me," ordered Alicia, ignoring Nanoha and staring at Fate.

"Here? But…"

"Show me,"

Wordlessly, Fate turned around and lifted the back of her shirt to reveal several long cuts and multiple bruises, some yellow, healing, other as fresh as maybe yesterday night. The cuts were still bleeding a little.

"Holy…" breathed Alicia as Fate dropped the fabric again, hiding the ugly sight. "What happened to you, Fate?"

"Let's just say that Precia likes leather belts," said Nanoha dryly. "But that's not really my point. The thing is, Fate can't stay there, with you and Precia. It's impossible. She'll die, honest. Precia has already made her commit crimes, and when she stopped doing them, she started beating her. Since Fate-chan refuses to turn Precia in, she has to stay somewhere else," Nanoha explained.

"And I suppose that 'somewhere else' is your house, huh?" asked Alicia, matching Nanoha's dry tone, putting one hand on her hip.

"You guessed right," said Nanoha, smirking slightly.

Alicia sighed, but held up her hands in defeat. "I give up. You win," she told Nanoha. "Fate can't stay here, I agree, but…" Fate sighed, happy that the argument was settled, but Alicia wasn't done yet. "But…if you _ever_ touch my sister again, you will die,"

"Alicia!" cried Fate in surprise. "Nanoha's never…" she broke off and turned to Nanoha helplessly, searching for denial in those slate blue eyes.

"Yes, ma'm," said Nanoha mockingly, snapping a salute, then relaxed, her cold features breaking into a warm smile. "Come on, Alicia-chan, Fate-chan. It's time to go home,"

Fate looked at Alicia sadly. "I'll be going home with Nanoha-chan from now on," she said in a quiet little voice.

"Yeah," sighed Alicia. "What am I going to tell Mother?" she asked, leaning her head on Fate's shoulder. She felt the girl wince, and closed her eyes for a moment. "Sorry," she said, pulling away.

"It's fine," Fate said, smiling as they reached the front doors, pushing them open. "Anyway…"

"Don't," said Alicia halfheartedly. "Don't…"

Fate smiled wider as they reached the front gates into the school. "Bye, Alicia-nee," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her sister. "I'll see you tomorrow, silly," she added at Alicia's sad expression.

"Yes…" sighed Alicia. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it,"

Fate pulled away and took Nanoha's hand. "Bye!" she repeated as the two of them walked off.

Leaving Alicia Testarossa completely and utterly alone for the first time in her life since she'd been born.

**Authoress Note:** _Wow, this actually took a really long time to make, even though it's not even that long! Man, I can't seem to write long chapters! Anyway, I wrote this while reading "Two Souls, One Destiny," so if that style sort of peeks through, I apologize._

_Anyway, I promise to stick by this story for a while! Thanks for readiing, and if you would be so kind as to leave a review, I promise to reply right away!_

_~Lyrical Moon Ema _


	2. Chapter 2: Disappearance

"Hi, I'm home," muttered Alicia Testarossa sullenly as she entered the unkempt house, her feet making loud clacking noises on the wooden floor.

"Alicia, dear, how was your day?" asked Precia, coming out of the kitchen with a warm expression, looking quite motherly in an apron with a spoon in one hand. "I was just making a snack," she explained at Alicia confused stare.

"But you hate cooking," said Alicia, not even caring enough to give Precia more than another confused look.

"Well, I thought you'd be hungry, since you skipped breakfast,"

Alicia shrugged. "I guess. Not now, though," she noticed that Precia hadn't asked about Fate yet, and said, "Fate's over at a friend's house,"

Precia stiffened for a moment, but relaxed quickly. "Oh, that's lovely," she said in a fake, sugary voice that made Alicia want to gag. "Is she coming home soon?"

"No," Alicia answered dully. "She's sleeping over,"

"Oh, I should have brought her some things," said Precia, again with the fakeness, only this time feigning concern rather than glee.

"Whatever," said Alicia heavily. "I'm going up to study, I have a ton of work to do," she said, and stomped upstairs to her room, where she slammed the door and pulled out her homework with dileberate force.

Downstairs, her mother was still cooking, but with a thoughtful, hard expression on her face. "So, Fate told someone…" she mused aloud, her features transforming into something not quite human, animal-like, almost. Ugly. "She'll have to be punished," the thought seemed to cheer Precia up. "She'll have to come back eventually, she can't avoid this house forever…I can always call the police on her, she wouldn't dare tell,"

Precia laughed, a quick, out-of-control, horrifying sound, and went back to cooking, silently stirring pieces of vegetables into a watery soup, a slight smile on her face.

***

"Wow, your house is…"

"Small?" Nanoha supplied, throwing open the door to her room, revealing a bed and a desk strewn with papers.

"No," said Fate defensively. "I was going to say neat, but now that you look at it…"

"Mom will clean it tomorrow," Nanoha explained, shrugging. "It doesn't really matter to me, although now that you're here…" she eyed her friend sheepishly.

"It's fine,"Fate assured her. "I just keep my room clean, so Mother won't have another reason to…scold me,"

"You mean beat you," Nanoha corrected, sitting cross-legged on her carpeted floor, her blue eyes flickering. She brightened immediately, though, returning to her happy self with ease. "Come on, let's start our homework," she suggested to Fate, who nodded.

"Do you want to copy my math homework? I did it already," Fate offered.

Nanoha grinned. "You're a life-saver, Fate-chan," then she paused. "Can you help me study for the test, too?" she pleaded.

Settling herself beside Nanoha, Fate laughed. "Of course I will,"

"Yay!"

"Now, start copying, or else Kuro-sensei will bite you!" teased Fate.

"Yes, Fate-sama," Nanoha said, saluting her best friend, then leaned down to begin to fill in answers hurriedly.

Fate took out her notebook and began to write the essay due for English class the following day, but was interrupted by Nanoha almost immediately.

"Mou, Fate-chan, I can't read what you wrote here," she complained.

"Oh, that's a 395.3014," explained Fate. "Because you round up the probability of getting a 4 out of the number set and…"

"Okay, okay!" Nanoha said, scribbling down the answer. "I got it,"

"Sure, Nanoha," Fate rolled her eyes and returned to her essay. "We'll study later, okay?" she added, in case Nanoha was offended by her sharp retort.

"Hai, hai," the brunette agreed, but before she could continue her work, her cellphone rang. She grabbed it and flipped it open. "Hello?" There was a buzz on the other line. "Ehh…? Alicia-chan? Fate-chan? Okay, sure…Eh…Maybe…Here," Nanoha handed the phone to Fate, mouthing the words, 'It's Alicia'.

"Hello?" asked Fate into the phone.

"Mou, Fate-nee…Are you okay?" asked Alicia.

Fate laughed. "We've only been apart for around an hour," she told her twin sister.

"Well…it's not my fault Mom is totally weirding me out by cooking soup. Think she put glass in it?"

Fate shrugged, but then remembered Alicia couldn't see her. "I don't know." She figured it was best not to mention the time that Mother had given her some food that turned out _not _to be food at all, but actually some kind of drug that Fate didn't even want to think about.

"Anyway, watch out, 'cause Mom—Mother—says that she's gonna come get you tomorrow if you don't come home. And DON'T come home, Fate. If you put one foot inside this door if you trick your way past Nanoha, I will literally put you in a garbage can and bring you back to the Takamachi house. 'Cause you're _not _going to get hurt like that again,"

"Right," muttered Fate. "Ehh…"

"What is it?"

"Are you okay, Alicia? You sound a little stressed," Fate said tentatively.

"Well," sighed Alicia. "It's so booring here—and it's a little weird to be around Mother now that I've heard about…well, you know,"

"Sorry,"

Fate could practically feel Alicia roll her eyes. "Oh, I'm sooo heartbroken, you know! I'm just sooo sad about my fulfilling relationship with Mother, and now you've ruined it!" she said sarcastically.

"Glad you're not upset," Fate replied, matching Alicia's sarcasm with her own. She wasn't usually this way with anyone but Alicia—because they knew eachother so well, it was easy to joke. "So…"

"Oops, gotta go, someone's on the other line," piped up Alicia. "See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah, see you," agreed Fate.

**One Day Later**

"Fate-chan…Nanoha-chan…" Hayate called, running after her two friends, who were walking down the school hallway. "Do you want to eat lunch with us?" she asked as they turned.

Fate smiled. "Sure, Hayate-chan," she said. "Nanoha?"

"Mm!" Nanoha agreed, nodding her head. "I'd like to see Vita-chan!"  
"Okay, follow me!" Hayate giggled, and flounced off down the hall, earning herself a sigh and a few rolls of the eyes from both girls.

Downstairs, Vita was leaning on Shamal's shoulder, while Signum was munching delicately on a rice ball, all of them sitting around a wooden table laden with food.

"Mi~nna!" trilled Hayate, flopping down to join them. "Fate-chan and Nanoha-chan are joining us today!"

Vita reached out and snagged a large roll from the center of the table. "Better eat now, otherwise Nanoha will eat it all," she explained.

"Vita-chan!"

Vita sniggered into her roll while Nanoha put her hands on her hips. "Mou, Vita-chan, that's not very nice!"

"It's the truth," Vita defended herself, her mouth full of bread.

Fate settled herself beside Signum and opened her lunch, pulled out her chopsticks and began to eat quickly.

"Abandoning me?" asked Alicia, coming up suddenly behind Fate and leaning on her shoulde and grinning down at her twin.

Fate looked up sheepishly. "Sorry," she said. "I forgot…"  
Alicia stuck her tongue out at Fate. "So much for sisterly love, eh?"

"Pretty much," agreed Fate, resisting the urge to blush furiously and hide under the table.

"So, you wanna come over after school?"

"You guys don't live together?" asked Hayate curiously, squinting at the two.

"Long story," Alicia said. "But Fate's on extended leave with Nanoha for now,"

"Oooh, sounds delicious," said Hayate, licking her lips with her I-smell-juicy-gossip expression on. "Nanoha and Fate, neh?"

"No, I'm just sleeping over," Fate said hurriedly.

"And one thing led to another…" said Signum, surpressing a smile herself. Shamal and Vita laughed out loud.

"That's the bell," observed Alicia, ignoring Fate's ostritch impression. "Come on, everyone,"

"Coming over, tonight, Alicia?" asked Fate as they slowly walked back to the school, and Alicia shook her head.

"No, sorry—I was asked to do a club activity here for the track team,"

"Oh, okay—Come on, Fate-chan. Do you want to hit the new movie after school?" Nanoha opened the door to the school as she turned towards Fate, waiting for the answer.

"Don't we have an English exam tomorrow?" asked Fate as they walked up the stairs.

"Maybe…" Nanoha answered evasively. "But…please?"

"No way, you're gonna fail school if you get less than a 60 on your test again," Fate said sternly.

Nanoha crossed her arms. "Study THEN a movie?" she asked pleadingly. "I really wanna see this new thing…"  
"What's the movie?" asked Fate with a sigh,"  
"Um...Raging Heart?" Nanoha said, peeking through her hands to view Fate's reaction.

"And it's about…" Fate asked leadingly, leaning against the wall outside their classroom.

"Mahou shojo or something," Nanoha shrugged. "I dunno…but please? I really, really, really wanna see it!"

Fate sighed. "Okay—but only if you can write "Hello my name is Nanoha and I am thirteen and live in Japan with my mother, father, two siblings and my best friend's name is Fate," ten times properly,"

"All that?!" Nanoha gasped, then relented. "Fine,"

"Okay—study then movie it is," Fate said, grinning at her best friend.

"Meanie,"

"Come on, let's go,"

*******

"Okay, wait…'My name is Nanoha, and…I am thir…teen and live in J-apan with my mother, father two siblings and my best friend's name is Fate," Nanoha recited quickly.

"Now write it," instructed Fate.

"Hai, Hai. Fate, will you check downstairs and see if we have any snacks?" asked Nanoha, fixing Fate with her super-bambi-eye-attack.

Fate sighed. "Okay," she agreed, and headed down the staircase and into the kitchen. Just as she found a bag of cookies, the doorbell rang.

She headed to the door, assuming it was Momoko, Nanoha's mom, or one of her siblings. Opening the door, she found it was exactly the opposite.

"Hello, Fate," said Precia Testarossa, smiling at her daughter with a dark glint in her eyes. Fate stumbled backwards a few steps and headed toward the stairs, but Precia grabbed her arm before she could get far.

Fate tripped and fell out of Precia's grab, falling to the floor with a hard crash.

"Fate-chan?" Nanoha called from upstairs. "Did you break something? Mom's not gonna be happy…" she added warningly.

"Um…Nanoha…"

Precia covered her mouth.

"Hm, Fate-chan?"

There was no answer. Nanoha stood up quickly and pattered down the stairs to find nothing but a wrinkled rug, an open door, and a single black ribbon.

"Fate-chan?"


	3. Chapter 3: Whipped

_**Authoress Note: **__I'm sorry, I'm sorry! *flings self at everyone's feet* Sorry! I know the last chapter was a disappointment (or at least for ME it was), but I'll work hard, I promise! *slaves away at laptop* Please don't blast me with Raging Heart! _

_Many thanks to Avalon for her lurvely reviews and many thanks to everyone else! _

"Fate-chan?" Nanoha stared out the front door, wondering where her friend could have gone. Precia flashed through her mind, but she dismissed the thought immediately as impossible; Precia could not have come here…or could she? Nanoha knelt to the floor and picked up the black ribbon, clenching it in one fist. _Fate…_

***

Fate screamed. She couldn't help it, although she had promised herself to be strong and not show the pain that flashed through her like fire. She closed her eyes as Precia brought her belt down again, and another scream tore its way out her throat.

"Really, what were you thinking, Fate?" asked Precia, her honeyed voice as dangerous as a snake preparing to strike. "Trying to run away from me and confiding in that…brat," she flicked her wrist, and Fate winced as the leather split her skin. "Now…you don't want to disappoint your mother, do you? You know I don't like to punish you, but…"

The belt swung through the air a fourth time. The bonds that kept Fate in place burned her skin as she struggled fruitlessly as Precia continued, and Fate's throat tore and seared painfully as she continued to scream.

Precia finally let the belt fall to the floor and untied her daughter. "Don't disappoint me again, Fate," she whispered, caressing the blonde's face lovingly as she turned and walked swiftly up the stairs, out of the basement underneath the Testarossa house, leaving Fate alone on the floor, her golden hair providing the only light in the dark room.

Eventually, she mustered the strength to stand up, and stared at her arms and legs. Had Precia forgotten the way she never left lasting marks that were visible? Alicia and Nanoha would be…angry. She put one hand over the only still-bleeding cut on her arm, and clambered to her feet, trying the door to upstairs.

It was locked.

Oh. Of course. That was why Precia hadn't bothered to be careful. Fate didn't dare to pound on the door; she heard Precia moving around upstairs, and she would surely be whipped again if she tried to escape.

Fate sank to her knees, leaning on the door, and closed her eyes.

She would be here for a very long time…

***

"Hi, Mother," muttered Alicia as she walked in the door at six o'clock. Precia turned to smile at her as she passed.

"Hello, Alicia. Were you at clubs?" she asked.

"Yes," answered Alicia in the same dull voice. Then she looked around. "Do you know where Fate is? Nanoha said she left her house…"

Precia smiled wider. "Oh, no, I haven't seen her at all. I don't know where she could be," she said sweetly. "Would you care for some dinner?"

"Usually Fate cooks when you're at work," Alicia said.

"Ah, I came home early today, since I was worried about you," Precia explained. "What would you like?"

"Pizza,"

"Of course, I'll order it right away," Precia answered, and Alicia stomped upstairs moodily. Precia stared after her for a moment before grabbing the phone and heading downstairs, where Fate was.

Precia found her daughter curled on the floor, eyes closed, and awakened her with a sharp slap. Fate's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, her auburn eyes wide. Precia smirked at the fear held there.

"Hungry, Fate?" she asked. Fate didn't react. "Well? Answer when your mother asks you a question," Precia added.

"Yes," Fate said quietly.

"That's awful, because you're not getting anything to eat tonight! And if you _dare _call for your sister while I'm on the phone, you will never see the light of day—and neither will she!" Precia threatened.

Fate's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare touch Alicia," she whispered. "You…love Alicia,"

Precia smiled. "Yes, Alicia is everything you're not. But, if it keeps a monster quiet…I'll have to resort to such measures. I would hate to harm your beautiful sister…"

"Yes, Mother," Fate answered, lowering her eyes.

"Good girl! See you tomorrow, Fate," Precia said teasingly, and walked upstairs into the house, her long hair rippling down her back.

***

"I still haven't seen Fate-chan anywhere," Nanoha said sadly at lunch with Alicia, Hayate, Vita, Signum and Shamal. Her blue eyes were as dark with despair as rainclouds heavy with rain.

"Me neither," Alicia sighed, leaning her head on her hand and picking moodily at her lunch.

"Maybe she's gone off with her mystery lover," teased Hayate. Her smile disappeared as soon as she saw the looks on her friend's faces. "Maybe we should put up missing kid posters," she suggested.

"I don't think…she's missing, exactly," Nanoha said, shooting a quick glance at Alicia, whose eyes narrowed to dark amber slits.

"Are you suggesting I know where she is and I'm not telling?" asked Alicia angrily, standing up.

"No, Alicia-chan, really, I'm not," Nanoha insisted. "Really, I was just…."

Alicia sighed and sat down again, her anger fading as quickly as it had come. "It's fine," she assured Nanoha. "I'm sorry I snapped,"

"No problem," Nanoha said, shrugging. "But…after school, maybe we should look around your house," she suggested.

Alicia nodded. "Good idea. Hayate, we'll ask for your help if we need it," she added, looking into Hayate's disappointed blue eyes.

"Okay—after school," Nanoha answered, and her jaw clenched. "I just hope she'll be okay until then…"

***

Not good. Fate clutched her stomach, which was steadily growing angrier and angrier…hunger was not the issue here, it was really water. She had searched endlessly through their small basement for any abandoned water sources, and had failed. She had already passed out twice.

She swallowed, trying to soothe her swollen throat, and stared at the tiny picture book she'd been trying to distract herself with. Colorful pictures bloomed in front of her, making her feel sick, and she closed the book hurriedly.

The door open, and there were two voices—Nanoha and Alicia! Fate scrambled weakly to her feet, but collapsed almost immediately, feeling light-headed.

"Where do you think she could be?" asked Nanoha.

"Basement, attic, Mother's room, the upstairs bathroom…" recited Alicia quickly. "One of those—any of those, could hide Fate,"

"You'll do Precia's room first, and I'll do the basement," Nanoha decided quickly.

"Fine," Alicia agreed, and Fate heard her feet patter upstairs, while Nanoha's footsteps grew steadily louder. Fate dragged herself over to the door, feeling wobbly from lack of food and water.

Nanoha tried the door, and Fate heard her yell up to Alicia. "THIS DOOR'S LOCKED!"

"Nanoha…." Fate whispered into the door—her voice had gone hours ago from talking to herself, and the name escaped barely more than a rasp.

"Fate-chan? Fate? Are you in there?!" Nanoha shrieked.

"Nanoha…."

"Alicia-chan, hurry!" Nanoha pleaded.

Alicia's footsteps grew steadily louder as she neared the basement door. "There's a key, up there…wait, it's gone," her voice saddened at the end.

"Pick the lock," Nanoha said angrily.

"I don't know how!"

Nanoha tried the door again, and Fate heard her prying in the keyhole with a pin or something, trying to spring the lock. She was successful; the lock clicked and Nanoha swung open the door as Fate stumbled back several steps to avoid being hit in the head with the door.

"Fate-chan!" cried Nanoha, grabbing her best friend around the shoulders as she reached her friend.

"Fate? Are you okay?" asked Alicia, relief clear in her voice as she took her twin sister's hand.

"Ye…s…" murmured Fate, her voice tired and broken.

"How long have you been down here?" demanded Nanoha.

"Since yesterday…" Fate said.

"Water, and food," Alicia said tensely. "Help me carry her, Nanoha-chan,"

"Right,"

Fate felt herself being hoisted to her feet and half-dragged, half-carried up the stairs, through the door and into the living room, where the two girls lay her on the couch.

"Water?" asked Nanoha.

"Cupboard, the one with the flowers on it, and the fridge has a pitcher," Alicia said quickly, pillowing Fate's head on her lap.

Nanoha ran and returned in a minute with a cup full of water, which Fate suck down greedily.

"There are sandwiches in the fridge, too," Alicia added, handing Nanoha back the cup.

"Right," said Nanoha, racing back into the kitchen.

"Hey…Fate…" Alicia said slowly, staring down at Fate's ripped clothes and small cuts. "What…happened?"

"Nothing," Fate said defensively, her voice a little worn but otherwise normal.

Nanoha returned with a sandwich and a cup of water, which Fate grabbed and started eating to avoid anymore questions…and also, she was starving.

"Fate, what happened?" repeated Alicia, crossing her arms and glaring at her sister.

"What do you mean?" asked Nanoha. Alicia rolled her eyes and motioned to Fate. Nanoha took a closer look, and her eyes narrowed as well. "Fate…"

"Nothing happened! I tripped down the stairs," Fate lied.

"That's why you were locked in the basement with no food or water," said Alicia dryly. "Of course. Now tell us what really happened,"

Nanoha bit her lip. "Fate, did she…"

Alicia turned her dagger eyes on Nanoha. "Did she what?" she growled.

"Nothing!" insisted Fate. "Nothing, nothing…"

"She whipped you didn't she?" asked Nanoha softly. Alicia's eyes grew wide with shock.

"_Whipped you?"_ she repeated incredulously. "Whipped? No…way. It can't…be…She didn't, did she, Fate?" asked Alicia pleadingly.

Fate looked down at her sandwich in her hand. "I…"

"She punished your for running away, didn't she? That absolute—"

"Nanoha," said Fate softly, and Nanoha muttered, _"Bitch,"_ under her breath. Fate smiled at her briefly, amused by her vocabulary; Nanoha rarely cursed, and turned back to Alicia.

"Alicia?" she asked softly.

"That…monster…" whispered Alicia, horror crawling over her features like a mask. "Monster…she… how can Mother…?"

"Alicia, it's fine," whispered Fate, touching her twin's cheek. Alicia grabbed her hand and held it there, staring down at her sister with shock in her eyes. "It's fine…"

"Like hell!" Alicia cried suddenly, springing to her feet. Fate's head hit the soft pillows with a small thump. "Like hell, it's 'fine'. Whatever this is, Fate, it sure as hell isn't fine," she shouted, glaring down at her sister. "I mean, look at you, you look like crap, and MOTHER did this to you! "

"No…Alicia…"

Alicia sank to her knees beside the couch and lay her head next to Fate's, closing her eyes. "It's not fair," she moaned. "I love Mother, still, even though she's…" Alicia shuddered briefly, and Fate stroked her golden bangs lightly. "Mother…"

"I love Mother, too, Alicia," whispered Fate. "Whatever she does, I'll still love her. She's just…lost. She's really a kind person, but she's lost,"

"Kind?" muttered Alicia. "What kind of freaking kind person whips their daughter?" she opened her eyes and stared into the mirror-like ones next to her. "How can she be kind?"

"She loves you," Fate whispered. "She looks at you like you're the most wonderful thing in the world, and she loves you,"

"Then why does she hate you?" asked Alicia.

"I don't know,"  
Alicia groaned. "This is so complicated,"

"No, it's not. Just leave things the way they are. I can deal with this. I promise," Fate said.

Alicia glared at Fate. "Yeah, right. You think I'll let you get ripped apart by a monster? No way!"

Nanoha had been quiet all this time, but she spoke up now. "Now what are we going to do?" she asked. "Really, what can we do?"

"We can call the police, and Mother will go to jail," suggested Alicia.

"No!" Fate gasped. "Mother…"

"It wouldn't be bad,"

"But…where would we go?" asked Fate. "Where would **you **go?"

"A foster home, probably. It'll be a hell of a lot better than this…hole," Alicia answered.

Fate groaned.

The door opened slowly and the three girls froze. Alicia could feel Fate shaking, despite her best efforts, and fury filled Alicia like a hot drink. She moved to the couch and propped Fate up against her. Nanoha sat on Fate's other side as Precia entered the house.

"Fate…" she whispered threateningly. "What is going on?"

"Alicia…found me, Mother. She picked the lock," Fate explained. Her shivers subsided and she was calm, cool. Alicia, on the other hand, was not.

"Monster," choked Alicia at Precia. "Monster…"

Precia's face crumpled. "No…Alicia…"

"How could you?" asked Alicia, tears filling her eyes. She bit her lip to keep the sobs from overflowing. "How…could you do these things to Fate?"

Precia drew herself up, and crossed her arms. "When I was pregnant, the only baby I was supposed to have was you," she said. "And then, one day, Fate appeared on the ultrasound. It was impossible. Unbelievable. She wasn't supposed to be born! It was only you, Alicia! Not…that monster!" Precia ended on a shriek.

"No," Alicia rose to her feet. "Fate is my sister, and I love her. And you…hurt her! Whipped her!"

"She's not human,"

"She was born, wasn't she? She was born with me, from you! She looks human and acts human and laughs and talks and cries like a human. What about her ISN'T HUMAN?!"

"She's a monster, a horrible monster,"

Fate was shaking into Nanoha's shoulder, and Nanoha had her arms wrapped around her. Nanoha let her go slowly, and stood up next to Alicia, her blue eyes dark and hard, like slate.

"You have two daughters. Fate and Alicia are your daughters. But you hurt and whipped, bruised and attacked Fate, and threatened her when she did anything not to your liking. If there's anyone not human here, it's you!" Nanoha screamed, stepping forward.

Precia surged forward suddenly and slapped Nanoha. "This is none of your business! It's a family affair," she hissed. Nanoha collapsed onto the floor, holding her cheek.

Alicia stared, and her mouth dropped open as Fate got to her feet.

"Mother…you can do whatever you like to me," she said slowly. "But taking my friend, and hurting her…that is unacceptable,"

Precia turned to stare at Fate, then smirked. "And you think you can tell me what to do?"

"Yes, I do," Fate said. "Nanoha and Alicia are important to me,"

"And Fate is important to me," Alicia said.

Nanoha scrambled to her feet and ran out the door. Fate couldn't blame her; after suffering at Precia's hand, she had to be afraid.

Precia grabbed something from around her waist, and Alicia saw her belt. Precia stepped forward and raised it. Fate closed her eyes, and the whip came down. Fate let out a scream as it slashed a new cut and Alicia gasped.

"No…" she whispered, running forward to keep her sister upright. "You…can't…."

"Alicia, darling, I'm sorry. I have to," Precia said, pleading with Alicia. "I have to stop this…wretch, from doing as she likes. She's already warped your mind," she raised the belt again.

"NO!" screamed Alicia, but she couldn't keep herself from flinching away as the belt split them apart. Fate let out another shriek. "NO!" Alicia sobbed.

Precia brought down the belt again and again until Fate was bleeding profusely onto the floor. Alicia grabbed her sister's hand and gathered her into her arms, protecting her from further harm. "Alicia…move," Precia ordered.

"No," Alicia whispered. "No, I won't,"

"Alicia…"

"Don't…" Fate whispered. She wasn't looking at Alicia, but at Precia, her eyes wide. "Don't hurt her… Please…" Alicia couldn't see her mother's reaction, but Fate stiffened. Alicia braced herself, but found herself being pushed out of the way, by Fate.

"NO! FATE!" screeched Alicia as Precia flicked her wrist. "FAAAAAAAAAAAATE!"

Fate screamed, and Alicia scrambled toward her, but Precia pushed her out of the way, and prepared for another strike, but…

Sirens sounded outside, and Precia turned disbelievingly. Then she dropped the belt and started running toward the back door. Alicia gathered Fate to her again as Nanoha and five police officers came into the room.

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha cried, kneeling beside her friend.

"Where did she go?" asked one of the men, and Alicia pointed toward the back door. Three of the five headed that way, and the other two checked Fate's pulse and forehead.

"She'll live," one announced, and he hefted her into his arms single-handedly. The second police officer, a woman, looked down at the other two girls kindly.

"Would you like to come to the hospital with us?"

The two nodded solemnly, and the small party walked out into the starry evening.

_**A/N: Don't worry, it's not the end yet…there will be many more chapters, pinky-swear! {or not, you know.} Precia will not be arrested, sorry to disappoint you idealists—but I need her to be cleared. That will come next chapter!**_

_**Please review, I promise to reply…I'm sorry if I haven't gotten around to your review, whoever you may be, but I was really busy getting this done in one day. Sorry! T-T**_


	4. Chapter 4: Slipping

_**A/N: **__Let's see…I began this the same day as the verrryy exciting Chapter 3, so if it's sloppy, I deeply apologize. Thanks to BPHaru for making me think through the plot before making this story, and Alavon {sorry for the username mess up last chapter} for the great reviews—sorry if you were offended by my pronoun use, I didn't even REALIZE! XD Sorry…Just figured, you know._

_Originally, Precia was going to be stopped by the police and arrested, but I wanted to continue the story, so yeah…(laughing) I'm sorry, but…I'll explain the whole story at the end of the chapter! ^^ _

Fate leaned against Alicia and closed her eyes, trying to keep her sister from shooting to her feet with rage. "It's ok, Alicia…It's fine…" she murmured.

"Like hell it is," Alicia growled. "How could that evil **hag** get off spot-clean? And how could you** lie **to defend her?" she rolled her eyes.

"You lied too," Fate argued.

"Well, that's only 'cause you begged me until I relented and offered me candy," Alicia defended herself. "Plus, well…you're kind of a good arguer,"

"Yep," agreed Fate. "Well, you get to go back and live with Mother, but I have to go to a foster home since Mother proved her innocence with **you**.

"I'll miss you," sniffed Alicia sadly.

"Aww…is Alicia getting soft in her old age?" teased Fate. "Just kidding, I'll miss you too,"  
Alicia wrapped her arms around her sister. "Man, this sucks," she muttered.

"No, it doesn't. It's great—you get to stay with Mother and I don't get punished anymore,"

"Whipped, you mean,"

"That was just the one time," protested Fate.

"Suuuure, Fate,"

"Fate Testarossa?" came a voice. "Your foster mother is waiting,"

"Bye. I'll just be across the park," said Fate, hugging her sister one last time. She danced off toward the boy who was waving toward her impatiently, and waved to Alicia one last time before heading out the door, into the sunny day.

"Hello, Testarossa-san," the blue-haired boy said formally. "I am Chrono Harlown,"

"I'm Fate Testarossa," Fate introduced herself.

"Yes, I know," Chrono answered, walking towards a large white car. "Were you informed of the information about your new family?" he asked.

"No," she said. "It was all kind of sudden, 'cause…"

"I understand. Mom, we're getting in," he called, opening the door.

"Hey, Chrono! Hi, Fate-chan," the woman in the front seat called. "I'm Lindy Harlown," she added as Fate settled herself next to a girl with red hair who was grinning brightly. "That's Arf-chan, and this is my adopted son, Chrono," she introduced each person carefully.

"Hi, Fate-san," the girl with red hair said with a wave.

"Hi, Arf-san," answered Fate shyly as she buckled herself in and Lindy stepped on the gas. Arf moved closer to Fate.

"What are you here for?" she asked.

"Um…"

"She means why you were taken away from your family," Chrono explained from the front seat. "My mom and dad died," he explained.

"My father was crazy," announced Arf proudly. "And my mom died,"

"I was abused," Fate said quietly. "By my mother,"

The car quieted instantly, before Arf asked solemnly, "How? Mentally…or?"

"Sort of both," sighed Fate heavily. "I was whipped, if that's what you mean, but she also said I wasn't human," her shoulders slumped slightly as she wondered why she was opening up to these people. Maybe it was because she had been lying for so long.

"Arf-chan," said Lindy in a quiet rebuke. "That's not a nice thing to ask,"

"It's fine," Fate assured her.

"Eh…You're awfully easygoing," Arf said suspiciously. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" protested Fate.

"Hmm…You sure you're not a druggie or something?"

"Yes,"

"I don't think she's a druggie, Arf," Chrono piped up, leaning his head so he was looking at them upside-down. "I mean, look at Amy, she's nuts,"

"She's not nuts—she's funny," protested Arf. She turned to Fate to explain. "Amy is another girl who's in our family, only she doesn't like to go out much, 'cause people think she's crazy, although she's really not, she's just…normal, really,"

"She's nuts," Chrono added.

"Chrono's in love," Arf confided in Fate secretively.

"Yeah, right!" Chrono yelled, but Lindy interrupted.

"We're here,"

Everyone clambered out of the car and headed into the house. A brunette with short hair opened the door as soon as Lindy touched the handle.

"Hi, Lindy-san, Chrono-kun, Arf-chan, Fate-chan," Amy said with a grin. She was a few years older than Fate, Chrono and Arf, and was wearing a skirt with a blouse, looking very neat. "I'm Amy,"

"Hi," Fate said quietly.

Amy grabbed Chrono and wrapped an arm around his neck, giving him a knuckle sandwich. "Did you scare off Fate-chan? You were all like 'Moeee, a new sister!' when Lindy told you about it. I hope you don't…"

"Stop it, Amy!" Chrono yelled, his face bright red as she struggled against his foster-sister's hold.

"Ehhh? No honorifics? No, no, you must call me, 'Amy-sama', okay, Chrono-kun?" Amy teased.

"Whaaa—no way!" Chrono said loudly, and Lindy laughed.

"Okay, okay, everyone inside, let's get Fate-san settled…Do you mind sharing a room with Arf?" she asked kindly.

"No, ma'm," Fate said politely.

"You can call me Lindy-san," said Lindy smiling at her.

"Hai, Lindy-san," Fate answered. "I don't mind at all,"

"Good. Do you have…?"

"Alicia will bring over my stuff," Fate answered the unfinished question. "I don't have much, but…"

"Ehhh? Why not?" asked Amy, but Chrono and Arf shushed her quickly, before she could ask more questions, but her wide eyes remained curious.

"Mother wouldn't let me have many things…" Fate explained.

"Oh," Amy said, quieting down. "Ooh, Lindy-san, can I show Fate-chan her room?" she asked, brightening again.

"Sure," answered Lindy with an approving nod.

"Whaaa? But it's MY room!" protested Arf.

"Yeah, but you don't know your way through a paper bag," Amy reminded a fuming Arf, who stuck out her tongue and flounced off. "Come on, Fate-chan,"

"Okay,"

They walked through the large living room and up the stairs. Four bedrooms faced each other, two on each side. One of them had a sign in bubble letters, obviously handmade, that said "LINDY". The second door had a typed sign that declared, "Chrono's Room: DO NOT ENTER!", and the door opposite Lindy's said AMY in big letters.

The room Amy led Fate to had a drawing with Arf on it, only with fox ears and a tail. From the person a bubble was drawn, that read, "ARF's ROOM!"

Amy swung open the door to reveal a small room with twin beds. There were two closets, and a bathroom that lead to Amy's room. Arf's bed was salmon pink with hearts all over it, and a matching pillow set. The second bed was plain, a grayish white, and had stripes on it.

"We're going shopping tomorrow," Amy announced, seeing Fate's slight disappointment at her new bed. "It's tradition—every time a new kid comes, we get new stuff,"

"Um…I don't have any money," Fate said shame-facedly.

Amy rolled her eyes. "You think I have money? Lindy gets tons from every kid she supports, which is why we go shopping. Plus, Arf, Chrono and I all have jobs, but that's really just for our own stuff," she explained. "It's way cool, but Lindy doesn't really give allowances; she just gives us money when we need it,"

"Chores?" asked Fate.

"Um, we have to keep our rooms neat and our beds made and our clothes have to go in the laundry basket. Otherwise, Lindy does all the rest,"

"Oh," Fate said. That was pretty much the same rule as Precia's—but her rules had applied only to Fate. Plus, Fate had had to make dinner and clean the kitchen, but otherwise, Precia didn't care about her house appearance.

"Fate-chan? You okay?" asked Amy, looking at Fate oddly. Fate snapped out of her daze and looked up with a nod.

"Yeah, sorry—daydreaming," she explained.

"Oh…well…uh…"

Lindy called from downstairs. "Fate-chan! You have a call!" she yelled. Fate ran down the staircase and bounded into the room where Lindy held out a wireless phone. "It's a girl named Takamachi Nanoha-san. Do you know her?"

"Yes," answered Fate. "She's my best friend,"

Lindy handed her the phone and Fate put it greedily to her ear. "Hello?"

"Ah, Fate-chan, how are you?" asked Nanoha.

"Good—fine. They stitched me up, so I'm all good," Fate pointedly ignored the confused looks of her new family. "I'm living with a new family now—ah, Arf-san, Chrono-kun, and Amy-san,"

"Oh, I know Chrono-kun…he goes to our school—so does Arf-chan," Nanoha said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Chrono-kun was in my class last year, and he's on student council. Arf-san, she was in my club activity for Math Help," Nanoha replied. "Haven't you seen them around?"

"Nope, never met them,"

"Weird…" Nanoha mused. "Anyway, are you hurt or anything? I was out calling the police, so I didn't see…Anything. But I heard you…" her voice hardened at the end, and Fate hurried to explain.

"No, nothing happened," she lied.

"Liar," Nanoha said, sounding annoyed. "What really happened? You know I saw you get carried out, and you know I saw the belt,"

"So you already know—why do I have to tell you?" Fate shot back. "Anyway…"

"Alicia's a mess," Nanoha reported. "She's seriously scared now, and she won't even look at Precia at all,"  
"Crap—I should have stayed home," Fate sighed.

"Yeah, right—you would get arrested if you tried, I swear—Alicia's gonna be fine, honest," Nanoha answered quickly. "Alicia and I wanna stop by later, can we?" she added, changing the subject.

"Um…hold on," Fate said, and held the phone to her shoulder. "Eh…Lindy-san, can my sister and my friend come over later?" she asked.

Lindy smiled. "Sure, Fate-chan. I'm sure Chrono-kun and Arf-chan would love to meet your friends,"

Fate put the phone back to her ear. "Sure, you can come over," she said.

"Great—we'll be over in a half an hour, okay?"

"A half-an-hour? Isn't that…"

"Oops, gotta go, bye!" Nanoha interrupted, and the line went dead. Fate handed the phone back to Lindy, slightly confused, but Arf distracted her with a question.

"Why'd you need stitches?" she asked.

"Arf-chan!"

"Really, why?"

"Cuts," answered Fate, holding out her arm to reveal healing cuts all the way up her arm.

"Oh…" Arf looked down. "Sorry,"

"No problem,"

"Hey, your movie is on, Arf-san! The one about Magical Girls or something!" called Amy from the back room—the one with the TV.

Arf grinned. "Raging Heart?" she called back.

"Isn't that a movie?" asked Fate, recalling Nanoha's begging to see it a few days ago.

"Yeah, it's out now. It's the best show ever! Come on!" Arf cried, grabbing Fate's hand and dragging her to the TV, where a brunette girl with pigtails was dancing around on the screen with a golden wand with a red jewel.

Fate sat down on the floor next to Arf, to spend the next half-an-hour watching anime.

***

"Hayate-chan? Yeah…Yeah…Can you come? Please?" Nanoha was on the phone with Hayate Yagami, who was at her house with Vita, Signum, and Shamal.

"Sure," Hayate answered. "But…what happened?"

Nanoha sighed. "It's sort of private—Fate can tell you if she wants," she explained.

"Okay…" Hayate said warily. "I'll be over in a few,"

"Thanks, Hayate-chan,"

"No problem, Nanoha-chan,"

Nanoha closed her cell phone, feeling satisfied. So, that was Hayate, Signum, Shamal, Vita, Alicia and her all going to visit Fate—that was probably all Fate wanted. Shaking her head, she went to sit next to Alicia who was wrapped in a blanket and watching a TV show. "Hayate's coming," she told the blond girl.

"Great," said Alicia dully.

"Come on, buck up, Alicia-chan! Everything's going to be okay," Nanoha said comfortingly.

"Yeah—I get to live with a monster, away from my twin sister, and basically alone," muttered Alicia. "It's going to be 'okay', all right,"

Nanoha was about to reply, but the doorbell rang, revealing Hayate Yagami, Vita, Signum and Shamal, all looking solemn.

"Hi, Nanoha-chan. Are we going now?" asked Hayate.

"Yes—come on, Alicia-chan, let's go," Nanoha grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her to her feet.

Alicia groaned, but willingly slipped into her shoes and headed out the door. Nanoha locked the door behind her, and they walked, a silent group, across the park and toward the Harlown residence.

Hayate fell in to step beside Alicia. "What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"Nothing—I just miss Fate," Alicia answered honestly.

"Oh…are you sure?" asked Hayate pryingly.

'Yes, Hayate-chan, I'm sure,"

Hayate moved on to tease Nanoha. "Are you missing your female action?" she asked suggestively, and Nanoha rolled her eyes. "Well? Sad that Fate-chan can't 'sleep over' anymore?"

Vita laughed, and Signum and Shamal both hid smiles.

"She likes her too much and now she's in trou~ble," caroled Vita mischievously. [1]

Nanoha rolled her eyes again. "She's just my best friend," she insisted.

"Okay, if that's the way you think of her, Nanoha-chan," Hayate said condescendingly, and Shamal burst into laughter.

Nanoha was about to put Hayate in her place, but they had reached the door to the Harlown residence. Nanoha knocked three times, and a woman with green hair in a large, messy ponytail, answered with a smile.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Eh…I'm Nanoha, and we're here to see Fate," Nanoha explained shyly.

"Oh, yes, she's expecting—"

"OUCH, THAT'S MY HEAD, AMY!" came a boy's voice from inside.

There was a loud bout of laughter from inside, and Fate stumbled into the front room, a girl with red hair attached to her arm, another brown-haired girl following dragging a boy in a headlock.

"Hi, everyone," Fate said, her cheeks pink with laughter. "Wow, you all came, huh? Hi, Nanoha-chan, Alicia-chan, Hayate-chan, everyone,"

"Hi, Fate-chan. You're having fun," said Nanoha cautiously.

Fate nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, Arf-chan is tons of fun—and Chrono-kun is funny and Amy –chan…"

"Nuts," piped up the blue-haired boy, Chrono.

"Oh? And who was it trying to climb in the bath with Fate-chan?" asked Amy threateningly.

"What?!" yelped Chrono. "She's only been here for a few hours!"  
"Oh, so that's your excuse!"  
Fate and Arf burst into giggles. "Sorry," Fate said to her friends. "Anyway, we can go upstairs, if you like, or…" her dark maple eyes focused on Alicia, and they narrowed. "Alicia? Are you okay?"

Alicia shrugged, avoiding her twin's gaze. "Sure,"

Fate grabbed her arm and dragged her upstairs, taking Nanoha with her. "Come on, let's hang out in my room—Arf-chan could you show Hayate-chan around?"

"Yeah, yeah, dump me for your REAL friends, whatever," Arf said grumpily. Fate didn't take her seriously, and continued up the stairs and threw open the door to her room.

"Sit," she patted the floor around her, and Nanoha and Fate sat on either side of her. "Now, what's the matter, Alicia?" she asked.

"I…don't like living with Precia. I feel awkward around her, after I've seen…and it's horrible being in that house all alone, basically," Alicia admitted, looking at the floor.

Fate put her arms around her. "Sorry,"

"No, it's better this way," Alicia insisted.

"Not for you,"

"But you're safe and happy here," Alicia protested.

"But you're not,"

"That doesn't matter,"

"Fate-chan..." Nanoha said quietly. "Alicia-chan…"

"Yes?"

Two identical heads turned to stare at Nanoha with questioning gazes.

"Alicia-chan, is that really all that's wrong?"

Alicia closed her eyes. "Mother has been trying to convince me of her point of view," she sighed sadly. "She already gave me a talk today,"

Fate blinked sympathetically. "That sucks,"

"But the thing is…" Alicia said shakily. "I feel like I'm starting to believe her. It's crazy. I know she's evil and horrible, but…"

"It's fine," Fate whispered.

"Stop saying that. This is NOT fine,"

"Okay, Alicia,"

Arf appeared in the doorway. "Hate to break up the love fest, but let's watch the Raging Heart next episode, 'kay, Fate? It's the season 1 finale where Lyrical Girl fights Dark Lightning,"

"That's awesome, come on, you two," Fate called over her shoulder, dancing after Arf. Nanoha got up and followed her, but Alicia stayed in the room.

Alicia felt so wrong, she almost wanted to cry. It was as if Fate was slipping away from her…she had a new family now, and she was so much happier…

Putting her head in her hands, Alicia wondered if she really was going crazy.

**A/N: **God, I hate this chapter sooo much! It took forever to write and NOTHING HAPPENED! Although the teasing part was very, very enjoyable (for me). The next chapter will be much more exciting, I promise, pinky-swear. Now, I gotta go get some French fries! *smacks lips* See you later!

-Ema

[1] Yes, I got this little rhyme from xxxHolic, but I changed it a little, to fit the scene. Hehe…


	5. Chapter 5: Betrayal

**Author's Note: **_**I guess chapter titles DO pay off, because "Whipped" got soo many more hits than Disappearance…of course, chapter 1 did get 335 visitors, and chapter 2 got 79 which is kind of weird—to me, at least. Anyway, thanks everyone! **_

_**Warning: I am getting back into an anime I dropped many, many, many months ago, and so, I might be compelled to drop this story and make a fanfiction regarding THAT anime, as opposed to this one. **_

Alicia hurried downstairs to where Fate and the others were laughing hysterically at two girls having a fight on the TV screen with jets of bright light flashing across a dark sky. Tapping Nanoha on the shoulder, she sat down next to her. Nanoha grinned at her before returning to the show, laughing with the rest of them.

Feeling slightly disoriented as well as distant from the group, Alicia suffered through an hour or so of tears, girly smiles, and pink magic puffballs before Hayate announced that she and her "group" (Vita, Shamal and Signum) had to get going.

Alicia gladly followed them, and so did Nanoha, with considerable less enthusiasm. It might just have been Alicia's imagination, but she was a bit nervous—Fate hardly seemed to notice her friends were gone.

_You're just paranoid—and probably jealous. _Alicia told herself firmly, and stepped out the door, letting the cool evening air wash over her. Nanoha took her hand, surprising Alicia. She looked over at her sister's best friend, and was met with a shy smile.

"You looked worried," Nanoha explained.

"Yeah…I am," admitted Alicia. "About Fate—well, not really—" she stopped herself as Nanoha shook her head slightly.

"I think your problem is one, pressure—probably from that hag—" Nanoha stuck out her tongue comically, "—but also fear that Fate is slipping away from you,"

Alicia shrugged. "Maybe,"

"Fate seems happy there," Nanoha persisted.

"Yeah," Alicia sighed. "Happier than I am now, at least. Hey, how come you all are into that weird show that we were watching just now?" she asked randomly, trying to change the subject.

Nanoha grinned. "Raging Heart? Oh, that's such a funny show—well, not funny, it's cool sometimes, but mostly it's funny—like there's this girl named…eh…Najika, right, and…" she launched into a detailed summary of the show, and Alicia let her thoughts wander aimlessly as she walked through the slowly darkening streets.

It seemed like moments ago she had left the Harlown residence as she knocked on the door to her own house, Nanoha leaving quickly as she did. Alicia couldn't blame her for not wanting another encounter with Precia.

Precia Testarossa opened the door with a welcoming smile. "Alicia, how are you?" she asked sweetly, enveloping her daughter in a hug.

"Um…" Alicia struggled out of her mother's grasp and stepped into the house, "I'm fine. We were just…out," she finished lamely. "Anyway—"

Precia interrupted her. "Were you visiting Fate?" she asked suspiciously.

Alicia gave up. "Yeah, we were," she answered with a sigh, dropping onto the couch, the same one they had cradled Fate in after her day-long capture in the cellar.

Precia pursed her lips. "You shouldn't be visiting filth," she said finally, shooting a disapproving look at her daughter.

"Whatever," Alicia muttered, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV, changing it to an anime show called Feather that she liked.

"Really, Alicia, I might have to ground you," Precia threatened. "I don't want you visiting a monster,"

"S'not a monster," Alicia protested vaguely, entranced by the TV.

"I mean, I never even touched her, and there she goes making up lies about me," Precia went on, eyeing her daughter.

This got Alicia's attention. "You touched her all right," she snorted, turning to face her mother. "With a belt,"

"Just that one time," Precia protested. "I never touched her otherwise,"

"You threw her in the basement," Alicia challenged, feeling tired just by arguing with her mother about this. She didn't even want to remember.

Precia shook her head. "No, Fate fell down there herself, but she didn't call for anyone 'till you two came home. I suppose she's scared of me…"

"Because you whip her,"

"I didn't!" Precia said, her eyes opening wide. "You have to believe me, Alicia—if I really had done anything other than that one time, then I would be in jail by now, obviously,"

"Fate lied to protect you,"

"Fate told the truth to the police," Precia answered, and not letting Alicia protest, she went on. "She's been lying to you all this time, Alicia—can't you see? She wanted to get out of this house and away from you and me, so she faked all of this and cut herself on purpose. I only did what I did to her because she wanted me to," Precia's voice was fervent and sincere, her eyes strong with emotion as she stared at Alicia.

Alicia's mouth dropped open. "No…way…Impossible…" she muttered. "Fate wouldn't… She was happy…"

"Did you see her laugh once in the past couple of weeks, except for today?" asked Precia swiftly, and Alicia had to shake her head. "No, see—she's been lying, to get away from you. To stop from having to spend time with us,"

"Not possible…Fate loves me…us…" Alicia said slowly. Her brain seemed to have stopped right there, she remembered Fate's happy expression and laughs at her new home, comparing that to the sadness and gloom at home…but…"You hurt her…so much…"

"She asked me to, so she could leave," Precia explained. "She didn't want to stay here any longer,"

Alicia wondered, again, if she was really going crazy. This couldn't be true. Fate loved Precia, she had said so numerous times—and she loved Alicia, she didn't even have to say it. "You're lying," she whispered.

"Why would I lie to you right now? I have nothing against Fate, and I have never lied to you before, have I?" asked Precia sweetly.

Alicia's mind spun, and she sprang up, ran upstairs, and slammed the door to her bedroom, and locked the door behind her.

"No…not true…" she whispered to herself, and curled in a ball and started to cry.

***

"God, that was…too…much…fun…" panted Amy, leaning over double, her brown hair falling into her face. "Chrono…did you see his face?"

Fate laughed breathlessly and collapsed onto the floor. "He was all red…like a cross sign," she giggled.

"Yeah—like a cherry with blueberry topping," Arf laughed, sparking more giggles and laughs from Fate and Amy.

"Man…" Amy gasped. "That was so fun…Hey, how late is it?"

"It's ten-thirty, and time for little girls to go to bed," Lindy teased. "After royally embarrassing Chrono-kun, I think we're all tired,"

"Yeah, pretty much," agreed Arf casually. "Fate and I are all ready—but Amy-chan's not," she said mischevously. Amy rolled her eyes at the younger girls.

"Thanks, Arf-chan," she said, heading off to the bathroom with a yawn.

"Then, Arf-chan, Fate-chan, why don't you head into bed…It's late, and you two have school together…" Lindy pointed out.

Fate nodded seriously and the two girl walked slowly into their bedroom. Fate climbed into her plain bed, Arf into her bright pink one, and they turned out their lights.

"Night, Fate…" murmured Arf drowsily. "Eh…can I call you Fate?"  
"Sure, Arf," answered Fate, equally tired. "G'night…"

***

"Arf! Wake up, we only have half an hour to get to school!" Fate said, shaking her friend awake. "Come on, Arf!"

"Coming, Fate," mumbled Arf sleepily, but she opened one eye and sat up. "Breakfast?" she asked.

"On the way. Come on!" Fate cried.

"Coming, jeez!" Arf yelled, throwing herself out of bed and pulling off her pajamas. Grabbing her uniform, she pulled it on, with her socks, and grabbed her bag. "Let's go, Miss-Hurry-Up-We-Only-Got-An-Hour!"

Fate ran after her friend, a piece of toast in one hand, her back in the other, and pulled on her shoes. "Come on, I wanna get there on time!" she called.

"Right, just getting my food," Arf explained, grabbing a piece of toast, one foot in a shoe,

"Come on, come on, come on…"

"Jeez, you're excited…" muttered Arf, following Fate out the door. "What about Chrono?"

"He already left," Fate answered, slowing down slightly, as they were out of the house. "But he said it took more than an hour to get to school from here…"

Arf rolled her eyes. "And you believed him. Of course," she sighed.

Fate blushed. "Oops. Hey, I see Alicia and Nanoha!" she cried suddenly. "Come on!"

She and Arf walked forward quickly, catching up with a blond haired girl with pigtails and a brunette, also with pigtails.

"Hi, Alicia," said Fate quietly to her twin sister.

Alicia turned around, and Fate gasped. She was glaring at Fate with a terrible anger that Fate had never seen before. Fate's eyes widened and she stepped back, but it was too late. Alicia's hand shot out, and slapped Fate across the face.

Fate stumbled back several steps and Arf caught her before she fell.

"What the hell was that?" asked Arf indignantly as Fate shook her head and steadied herself slowly. "Seriously!"

Alicia crossed her arms as Nanoha's mouth gaped. "That's what you get for being a liar," she said angrily. "You tried to manipulate me, just so you could get out of the house! If you'd wanted to leave, you could have done it, and told me, you know!"

"What? Alicia…? What are you talking about?" asked Fate, her eyes wide.

"You know what I'm talking about! Your little plan to get out of the horrible life you had with Mother and I! You asked Mother to beat you just so you could leave!" Alicia yelled.

Fate stared at her sister. "That's not true…" she whispered.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No, but I…" Fate trailed off at the expression in her twin sister's eyes.

"I'll see you around, I guess," said Alicia abruptly and left the area quickly, her arms over her chest and head held high.

"What happened to your sister, Fate?" asked Arf curiously.

"I don't know," admitted Fate. "But…she was pretty upset…" Fate looked down, and both Arf and Nanoha moved to put an arm around her. "I wonder…"

"Maybe Precia got to her," Nanoha suggested, then looked down. "Sorry," she muttered, realizing she was being insensetive.

"It's fine," Fate answered, shrugging her friends off and forcing a smile. "Come on, let's go," she said, smiling even brighter and turning away.

With a shrug, the two turned to eachother.

**A/N:**_** I wrote this watching the Yes! Pretty Cure 5 movie and yelling at the computer for subs…so, please don't hurt me! I'm really looking forward to Pretty Cure All 'cause I'm a girly-girl…and stuff…so, yeah…**_

_**Wish me luck, I'm about to tell my mom my horrible test grade! ^^ **_


	6. Chapter 6: Mother

_**Author's Note: I apologize for the short chapter last time…I'll try to make a loong one this time. Actually, Chapter 5 was left unfinished; I uploaded it by accident…sorry! I won't be fixing it until after the entire story is done, though.**_

Fate sat down at the table outside with Hayate, Vita, Signum, Nanoha, Arf and Shamal—as usual. The only person missing was Alicia. Her heart heavy, she opened her lunch and started to eat slowly, feeling tired.

"Where's Alicia?" asked Hayate, looking around the table for the maple eyes and blond hair. She turned to Fate when she didn't get an answer. "Fate-chan?"

Fate shrugged. "We don't live together—I saw her this morning,"

Nanoha sighed. "They're fighting," she told Hayate.

"Oh, sorry," Hayate said, looking at the table. Then she brightened. "Hey, Arf-chan, can you try on a few outfits I made? I mean, you have pretty good assets…"  
"What?!" yelped Arf, blushing bright red and crossing her arms. "What are you talking about?!"

"Well, you know…" Hayate wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Shamal, Vita, Signum, Nanoha and Fate laughed.

"Hey, Hayate-chan," Chrono called, coming over with his lunch. Fate and Arf both groaned loudly at his appearance.

"Hey, Chrono-kun," Hayate answered looking up with a rather cool look in her blue eyes. "Is there something you need?"

"Um…" Chrono coughed. "We have a student council meeting, and Sensei asked me…"

"Shit!" Hayate squealed, the word sounding very odd with her girlish tone. The table burst into laughter again, and Hayate hit the nearest person to her over the head—and that person happened to be Signum. "See you!" Hayate yelled over her shoulder, grabbing her bag and leaving her lunch on the table, probably partly to escape the ominous look in Signum's eyes.

The group laughed again as Chrono dashed off after Hayate, ambling awkwardly, unable to keep up with her speedy pace.

"My, this looks cozy," said a snide voice.

Fate looked up in surprise. "Alicia-nee," she said, recognizing the mirror-like image in front of her.

Alicia looked different somehow. Her eyes were cold, and her features hard. She looked more like Precia than Fate, in fact. Her hand rested on her right hip, and she leaned backward in an arrogant position. "Hey, oneechan," she said, smirking slightly. "How are you? Or should I call you liar, instead?"

"Alicia!" a voice called from behind her, and Alicia turned.

A boy with purple hair and malicious green eyes ran up to stand next to Alicia. He greeted them all with a creepy grin that made all the girls flinch back. "Heeeeyy," he greeted them, his eyes resting on each of the girls in turn.

"It's Spaghetti-san!" cried Nanoha suddenly, sparking laughter from the girls. Nanoha blushed. "Sorry, that's how we know him,"

"You're hanging out with Tentacle Monster?" Vita gaped, eyes wide. "Gross. Fate, I think you're sister…"

"Stop it," Shamal said, barely concealing giggles herself.

Alicia rolled her eyes. "See you after school, _liar," _she said sweetly, and walked off saucily, Jail right behind her.

"Man, that guy's creepy—I heard that in his first year here…"

They launched into a great gossip session on Jail Spaghetti the Tentacle Monster, and Fate slowly sank back in her chair, allowing the conversation to rise and fall without her.

What would await her after school?

***

"Hey, Fate-chan,"  
Fate spun around and held up one hand defensively. "What do you want?" she asked aprehensively, recognizing Jail's figure.

"Just a message from Alicia—she wants to meet you in front of your new house, now,"

"Why didn't she tell me herself?" asked Fate, honestly curious.

"Hell if I know; Alicia asks, I do. See ya around, Fate-chan," he put a special emphasis on her name that made her want to take a bath.

With a shudder, Fate continued down the road back towards her house, walking quickly to meet up with Alicia.

She hoped that Alicia would hear her out, that they could return to their old relationship, and wondering briefly what had happened to her sister, she stepped into the front yard of the Harlown residence.

Her hopes dropped and shattered as she spotted Alicia lounging on the front steps, an arrogant smile on her cruel face. Fate's jaw clenched and she stepped forward as Alicia looked up, feigning surprise.

"Oh, Fate, I wasn't expecting you," she said sarcastically.

"I'm sure you weren't, since this IS my home," Fate answered, her voice as emotionless as her eyes. "Were you waiting for the birds?"

"Last time I checked, this was the Harlown residence, not the Testarossa residence," Alicia shot back. Fate caught the first glimmer of regret in her sister's eyes and grabbed her chance.

"I'm sorry Alicia, I didn't lie, I swear—you saw, didn't you?" asked Fate pleadingly.  
Alicia's eyes glittered. "Mother never lies to me. She told me you told her to do those things so you could leave your home with me and her," she said coldly.

"I didn't I swear, Alicia!"

"I know what I know," Alicia replied coldly.

"Then I guess you know that I'm not a liar," Fate answered, crossing her arms and walking toward the front door, past her sister.

Alicia stood up and turned to Fate. "I'm not hanging out with you or school, and I'm not visiting you anymore," she announced. "I won't be talking to you, either,"

Fate turned, eyes narrowed. "And?"

"And I don't ever want to see you again,"

"Is that all?" asked Fate, struggling to retain her calm.

"Yes," Alicia's face was a mask.

The two girls turned away from eachother at the same time, and Fate slammed the door behind her, and ran upstairs, into her new room, and crawled under the covers and started to cry, letting the sobs wrack her body, and trying to get over being rejected by the closest person to her in the whole entrie world.

***

"I did it…" Alicia murmured to herself, sinking to the floor in her bedroom and putting her head in her hands. "I really, honestly did it…" Her shoulders shook violently as she stared down at the carpeted floor of her bedroom. "I did it…"

She started to laugh. It just poured out of her like a hot drink. And then she remembered a song that she and Fate used to sing when they were young, and she started to sing, and then tears poured from her eyes and she began to sob as the laughter wracked her body.

So this was what being crazy felt like.

Alicia felt it was a rather interesting feeling.

***

"Fate, let me in. Please, Fate? Come on, Fate, I wanna talk to you," begged Arf, leaning against the bathroom door and listening to the sound of the water running. "You've been in there for years, honestly…"

There was a splash and the door opened, and Arf stared at her red eyes and pink cheeks with surprise. She was still wearing her school uniform, but her arms and face were wet."Yes, Arf? I'm taking a bath," Fate said simply, her eyes and voice empty.

"Are you okay, Fate?"

"Yes, I'm fine," answered Fate, without a smile or any emotion at all. "Do you need something, Arf?"

"Fate…Please, tell me what's wrong. Please?" Arf begged, taking Fate's hot hand in her own, and staring into her blank, maple eyes. "Please?"

Fate's shoulders slumpedand she stared at the floor. "Alicia…"

Arf resisted the urge to mutter, "the bitch", and waited for her to say more.

"Alicia told me she doesn't ever want to see me again, and that she won't speak to me ever again or come to visit or anything," Fate said in a rush. "She said those things, but she looked so unhappy, Arf, and I don't know what to do, if I should help her or let her alone, but it hurts, Arf, it hurts badly, and I cant' figure it out," Fate's eyes were wide, but not tear-filled as Arf expeccted them to me.

Arf was struck by how strong Fate was, and how much it must of hurt to open up like this. The only problem was, Arf had zero experience with sisters, brothers, or family arguments.

"Don't let her slip away, Fate," Arf told her friend, surprising herself. "Don't,"

Fate nodded, and closed her eyes. "Thanks, Arf," she said quietly.

"Come on, let's go downstairs. Chrono and Amy want to watch Raging Heart the Movie 4 again," Arf said, trying to be cheerful.

Fate nodded, took Arf's hand and let her friend lead her downstairs.

***

"My, you look pretty," Precia said approvingly as Alicia came down the stairs in a baby blue dress that reached her knees. It was fancy, with pleated skirts and a ribbon that matched the two in her hair. Alicia smiled.

"Thank you, Mother," she said clearly. "Where do you want to go?" Some of the madness that had posessed her earlier had faded away, and her mind was sharp; almost too sharp, in fact.

"Hm…how about just a walk in the park?" offered Precia, holding out a hand.

"Thank you," Alicia repeated, taking her mother's hand, letting her lead her outside, into the cool dusk air.

They walked. Alicia lost track of time, until…

"Mother? Alicia?"

Alicia's face hardened at the sight of Fate, Lindy, Arf, Chrono and Amy standing together in a little group. Chrono was holding a ball. Fate looked shocked to see them there.

"Hello, Fate," Precia said warmly.

She was so much nicer than Fate deserved. Alicia glared at her sister.

"I will have to ask you to leave, Precia-san," said Lindy Harlown calmly, putting an arm around Fate's shoulders and looking Precia straight in the eye.

"Why should she leave? The only person who hurts people around here is _that," _Alicia pointed to Fate, satisfied by the hurt that flitted across her twin's face as the words struck her.

"What's wrong with you, Alicia-chan?" asked a voice. Nanoha stepped into the light; she had been so silent and still that Alicia had hardly noticed her.

"Nothing. I only realized the truth," answered Alicia snidely.

"No. You closed your eyes to the truth," Nanoha corrected coldly.  
"Please. I'm not the liar here, and niether is Mother," Alicia snapped.

"I think the liar here is clear," Nanoha said.

"Stop it," Fate said suddenly, interrupting their argument. "Alicia can believe whatever she likes," she stared at Alicia sadly, but Alicia turned away.

"Yes, Alicia can," Fate's twin said mockingly. "Now, if all you freaks and liars will excuse us," Alicia grabbed her mother's hand and started walking, Precia following her easily.

"I can't believe she got everyone to believe her," Alicia said, disgusted.

"Yes…Fate is a good liar,"

"Has Fate ever lied to you?" called someone from the group they had just left. Alicia turned slightly to see Nanoha staring at her, her slate blue eyes far more piercing than Fate's.

Alicia's mouth twisted in an odd smile. "I'm afraid so," she said. "She has now," But she couldn't help glancing back as she felt the blue gaze burn her back as she walked away.

Nanoha's words echoed in her mind.

_Has Fate ever lied to you?_

***

"Aiie ~nano! This is tiring ~nano! I hope that Lyri-chan hurries up, ~nano!" a tiny, pink creature recited on the TV screen, it's squeaky voice growing higher with each "~nano".

"Damn, that voice hurts my ears," Arf complained. "Choucho is the worst character on Raging Heart, I swear,"  
"He's cute!" Amy disagreed. "I mean, look at his cute little ears!"

"Amy has a rabbit boyfriend, Amy has a rabbit boyfriend!" Chrono sang.

"Chrono has NO girlfriend, Chrono has NO girlfriend," Amy shot back, earning herself a mutinous glare from Chrono.

"Raging Heart, Set Up!" cried the girl on the screen, and the room collapsed into giggles.

"It's so…nerdy…" giggled Nanoha. "I mean, what if I did that?" She stood up in front of the TV screen, faced them, and held up an imaginary marble. "Raging Heart, Set UP!"

Fate laughed. "You look good," she told her friend, who rolled her eyes, but grinned, to let Fate know she wasn't upset.

"Oooh, it's Black Lightning, she's sooo hot!" cried Arf. "I mean, look at her staff, it's awesome," she grinned. "Look, she's gonna go!"

Fate nodded. "Yeah, it's really cool—Bardiche, right?"

"Yeah, why don't you do it—I did Raging Heart, so you go!" Nanoha insisted.

"No way," disagreed Fate.

"Yes, way!"

"Nope!"

"Meanie,"

"Sucks for you!" Fate teased. "Just kidding," she turned back to the TV. This was good. This was very good. She didn't even think about Alicia while watching this show…

"Fate-chan?"

Fate looked around into Nanoha's concerned eyes, forced a smile, and threw herself back into the conversation with great emotion.

***

"Alicia, what are you doing?"

Alicia Testarossa looked up, then stared down at her hands. Blood. Where had that come from? She examined her hands carefully, and found a knife clenched in her right hand, and cuts on her left. The knife was bloodstained. She'd have to clean it soon.

"Ow," Alicia said in surprise, the pain from her cuts reaching her. She rubbed one of the cuts slowy, trying to ease the pain.

"Were you cutting yourself, Alicia?" asked Precia sternly.

"Yes," Alicia answered. "I guess I was. Sorry, Mother. I didn't realize,"

Precia looked down at her daughter's injuries. "Here, I'll clean it," she offered, taking the knife from Alicia and laying it on the counter. She took her daughter's arm and led her towards the sink; Alicia had been standing in the kitchen.

Precia clenched her free hand into a fist. She knew what was causing Alicia to do these things. That monster.

Even if it cost Precia her freedom, she would put an end to this.

***

_"Dear Fate Testarossa,_

_Please come to the Testarossa residence after school. Thank you._

_--Alicia"_

The letter was typed, so Fate had no idea who had written it. She crumpled the paper in her hand as the last period bell rang. Jail sent her a pitying look; he had delivered the message. Why would he pity her?

Shaking her head, Fate packed up her bag and headed out the door, skipping homeroom without a second thought. It would take her ten minutes to get home anyway.

"Fate-chan?"  
Fate didn't look back as Nanoha called her name, and headed out the door.

She reached her old house before long and knocked on the door. No one answered, so she tried it. It was open.

Precia Testarossa stood in the hall, a belt in one hand, a knife on the counter. Fate took a step back, but Precia lunged.

Too late.

**Author's Note: **_**Oooh, cliffhanger, cliifhanger! Muahaha! I think I ended in an exciting way, hopefully, anyway. I feel like this chapter was sorta boring, but I threw in the Lyrical Girl part for comedy, yes, since things are gonna get serious soon. **_

_**  
Please leave a review! Thanks!**_


	7. Chapter 7: Stabbed

_**Author's Note: -pant, pant- Man, I'm beat…I did my best to do Chapter 6 as well and as quickly as possible, but it took a little effort…sorry, guys! **_

_**This one is for Alavon-sama for helping me figure out the plot! (although that plot-help isn't in this chapter…) Thank you!**_

__Fate tried to scream, but she had no air left. The door was still open! She ran towards it, but Precia was faster and snapped it shut, locking it. Fate stumbled backwards as Precia raised her belt and swung it at Fate.

Precia missed and Fate ran blindly, trying to escape. Precia caught up to her and knocked her to the floor with her free hand, then brought the belt down.

Fate screamed. She couldn't hold it in.

Precia smiled. "You won't get away from me this time, Fate," she whispered. "You will stop making Alicia suffer…"

Fate stared up at her mother with confusion in her eyes, but Precia already had a knife in her hand. Precia really meant to kill her?

"You'll go to jail," croaked Fate. "Then where will Alicia go?"

Precia smiled. "My darling Alicia will be fine…she will no longer be bothered by you, at any rate," she whispered. She lunged. Fate scrambled out of the way as Precia dived for her.

"It's really no use running, Fate," Precia said. "You will die,"

Precia brought the belt up again, and Fate held in her cry of pain this time, clenching her teeth tightly.

"Hmm…" Precia struck harder this time, but Fate had already taken off, running. "Didn't I tell you not to run?" asked Precia, following her daughter slowly.

Fate made her way to the front door and felt for the lock, but Precia struck her again, so hard that it threw Fate away from the door, and smashed her to the wood floor.

Bleeding from the cut the newest whip had given her, Fate staggered to her feet, one hand over her injury, and ran towards the stairs.

Precia aimed at her feet this time, and the belt tripped her, returning her to the floor. Precia held the knife high, and prepared to strike.

The door burst open and Alicia stood there, breathing hard, her blond hair stuck to her forehead. Her mouth dropped open, seeing Fate on the floor, Precia with the belt and a knife.

"No…" her lips formed the word soundlessly. "No…"

Precia took this oppurtunity to launch herself at Fate, trying to stab her, and succeeded. But she missed Fate's heart and got her shoulder instead.

Fate let out a scream of pain, and Alicia ran forwards, reaching for her. Precia pushed her out of the way. "Stay back, Alicia!" she ordered.

Fate stared up at her mother, looming over her, as she wrenched the knife out of Fate's shoulder painfully, and brought it up again. The scene blurred as Fate stared up into her mother's hate-filled eyes.

_Why?_

_Because you were born._

The knife came down.

Alicia had grabbed her mother's arm before it had come in contact with Fate's body. Her eyes were shocked, her shoulders shaking.

"Mother…You can't!"

"Get out of the way!" Precia threw her daughter off her arm and prepared to strike a second time, but another hand stopped her.

It was not Fate or Alicia, or anyone they knew, in fact.

There was the unfamiliar face of a police officer, holding Precia back.

Precia spat at the man, forcing him off of her, and took a look around the room. At Fate, Alicia, the officers who had come into the room.

Precia raised the knife again.

And stabbed herself in the heart.

***

Alicia sobbed into Nanoha's shoulder, her whole body wracked with sobs that shook her horribly. "M…Mother…Fate…" she cried every so often, and Nanoha patted her back as her sobs increased.

"Fate-chan is going to be okay," Nanoha assured her. "She'll be fine…"

"There was so much blood…" moaned Alicia. "And Mother…stabbed her…and herself…"

"It's okay, Alicia, it's okay," murmured Nanoha.

"It's not!" wailed Alicia. "If Fate dies, it'll be all my fault!"

"Fate will pull through this," Nanoha assured the blond girl who was sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder. "She's not on critical, anymore, right?"

Alicia sniffled pathetically. "But…she lost so much blood…And…The knife went straight through…Her arm…"

"They saved it," Nanoha assured Alicia. "They got there in time, and they saved it. It didn't go straight through, Alicia-chan. Who told you that?"

"But…But…" Alicia cried. "She's…"

A nurse with messy brown hair poked her head out from the operating room and pressed a finger to her lips, her green eyes serious. "Fate-chan is sleeping," she whispered.

Alicia nodded tearfully and pressed her face back into Nanoha's shoulder, quiet now.

The nurse did not leave. "Maybe you should go home," she said kindly. "Fate-chan will not wake up for several hours,"

"Where can I go?" moaned Alicia.

"You can stay with us," Lindy Harlown offered. She was sitting across the room, Arf leaning on her shoulder, Chrono on the other, and Amy sitting on Chrono's other side. "We have room for you,"

"Or with me," piped up Nanoha.

Alicia sniffed. "I think I'll stay with Nanoha…sorry, Lindy-san," she said.

"It's fine," Lindy said. "Come on, all of you," she ordered her family. "Into the car, let's go," she had a slight smile on her face as Chrono rolled his eyes, and Arf snapped a salute.

"Bye, Alicia-chan," Arf called as she left.

"We should go too, Alicia," Nanoha added as they left. "Mom wants to know about Fate-chan and if she's going to be okay,"

"'Kay," agreed Alicia, and walked slowly with Nanoha out of the waiting room.

***

Fate didn't hurt anymore. She was drifting in dark water. It was pretty. She felt oddly light, like a feather, as she drifted. There was no light, but the darkness seemed like a screen, as if she could tell there was light behind it.

Where was she? The last thing she remembered was Precia about to stab her a second time…was she dead? Fate shuddered at the thought. No, she didn't want to be dead.

As she drifted, she dreamed.

She dreamed of Alicia, and Nanoha and Arf.

But mostly she dreamed of someone who was lost but found herself again.

And with that, Fate opened her eyes.

***

"Fate-chan is up, Alicia-chan…if you want to see her. She just opened her eyes," reported the messy-haired nurse quietly.

Alicia nodded, and Nanoha took her hand as they stood up and made their way into Fate's room.

Everything was white. Fate's burgundy eyes found Nanoha and Alicia as soon as they came in, and she smiled. "Alicia," she said, but her gaze was aprehensive as she eyed her sister.

Alicia ran to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "I'm so sorry, Fate! I'm sorry I was mean and I called you a liar and that I got you stabbed! I'm really sorry!"  
"Um…ow," Fate said carefully, and Alicia drew back, wiping her eyes on her hand.

"Sorry,"

"It's okay," Fate assured her, then smiled. "I'm sorry about what happened, Alicia. About Mother, and…And I'm not mad. I'm just happy that you're back,"

"Fate!" Alicia cried, and wrapped her arms around Fate, more careful this time.

And for a moment, they were happy.

**A/N: Okay, I admit it, I'm a softie and didn't want the cliffhanger to last…this was really short, I know, and I wrote it in about half-an-hour. SORRY!**

**Next chapter will be on tomorrow! Bye!**


	8. Chapter 8: Dying

**Authoress Note: If you all thought chapter 7 was the last chapter…you were wrong! Ha! It was realy hard to write Fate here, for some reason…sorry, if she sounded out of character.**

**This one is for Alavon, again!**

"Hey, Fate, you're feeling well enough to go out now?" asked Alicia. It had been a week and a half since Fate had first opened her eyes, and she and Alicia had talked a lot since then—both about the future, and what had happened. Fate nodded. "Nanoha-chan and I found a great picnic spot a little ways outside of town, do you wanna go sometime?" Alicia offered.

"Sure," Fate answered warmly. Her smile was sincere as she looked over Alicia's shoulder to look Nanoha in the eyes. Nanoha winked back at her. "When do you want to go?"

"Eh…today?" Alicia asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, that's fine, if…" Fate peeked a glance at one of the nurses, who nodded with a smile. "Yes, I'd like to go,"

"Great! Let's go now! Um…" she blushed, and looked down. "We'd kinda been planning this for a while, so we're all packed and everything…Sorry,"

"Why are you apologizing?" asked Fate, smiling at her sister. "It's great you've been planning for something fun for us all to do together," she made to get out of bed, and Alicia took her hand, helping her up.

"Let's go," Nanoha said, sounding a little bit impatient.

"Okay, okay, Nanoha-chan," Alicia rolled her eyes, earning herself a smile from Fate.

"You two are really close now," Fate observed. "I'm glad you're not fighting anymore,"

"We're not close!" Alicia protested, putting her free hand on her hip as she walked with the two outside, into bright sunlight. "We're not even friends or anything!"

"Mou,I'm hurt, Alicia-chan!" Nanoha teased, holding onto Fate's other side as they walked slowly towards the car Nanoha's mother drove. "Mom's driving us," she informed Fate. "But she's leaving after, so we can have a picnic alone.

Nodding, Fate climbed into the car's backseat after her sister. "This is amazing," she admitted, grinning brightly.

"Hey, you're wearing your hair down!" Alicia noticed. "Why?"  
"Oh…I guess I forgot to put it up," Fate answered. "Hm…whoops,"

"You're such an airhead," Alicia said, rolling her eyes. "Here," she pulled the blue ribbons out of her hair and handed them to Fate. "You can put these on,"  
"No, I'll take one, you take the other," Fate decided, tying up her hair in a ponytail instead of her usual style. "Here," she handed one ribbon back to her sister.

"You look pretty, Alicia-chan, Fate-chan," commented Nanoha. "Now, I really can't tell you apart," she added, laughing a little.

"Really? Isn't obvious that I'm Fate?" asked one of the twins, opening her eyes wide.

"No," Nanoha rolled her eyes. "It's pretty obvious you're Alicia. Fate isn't as, say, out there, as you are…"

"How mean!" pouted Alicia.

"We're here, everyone!" called Momoko from the front seat.

Alicia threw open the door and dragged Fate outside, while Nanoha grabbed a basket from the floor and followed them.

"Wow, it's so nice here!" exclaimed Fate, staring out at the view with awe in her burgundy eyes. The spot Nanoha had selected was a cliffside that overlooked the town. It was beautiful. "You picked a great spot!"

"Thanks," Nanoha answered, smiling. "Will you help me spread out the blanket?" she asked.

"Sure," Alicia answered, and grabbed one side, Nanoha the other, and laid it out on the grass neatly. "Here, sit," Alicia said, patting the ground next to her.

"Thanks," Fate answered, sitting down next to her with a smile. "What did you bring?"

"Rice balls, sushi, eh…soy sauce, and…" Nanoha pulled out the final plate. "…Cake!" she dug around in the bag for a knife, and produced one, cutting the cake into careful slices. Then, looking back into the bag, she gasped. "I forgot the drinks!" she looked around for the car, but her mother had already left.

Fate and Alicia started to laugh.

"Mou…it's not funny! Well, I'll have to go over to the shop nearby…I hear there is one…" she ran quickly from the area, leaving Fate and Alicia, still giggling.

"Shall we start?" offered one of the girls.

"Sure," answered the other. "Well…actually, maybe we should wait for Nanoha,"

"All right," agreed the first girl, smiling. "What do you want do?"  
"Hmm…" the twin thought for a moment. "Um…"

They waited for a little, then started chatting aimlessly; about home, school, Nanoha, eachother, grades…anything.

It wasted time.

Suddenly, one of the twins got up. "I'm gonna go look for Nanoha…she's been gone a long time," she said slowly.

"I'll come," the other girl said. "We'll go different ways, okay? I don't know where Nanoha is…" she looked worried.

"Okay, you go that way," the first twin pointed straight. "And I'll go this way," she pointed to the left.

The second twin nodded. "See you," she said with a smile, and continued straight through the trees, wondering where Nanoha could be.

She wandered, and as she walked, she hummed tunelessly. Her dark eyes searched the trees slowly, but her gaze was a little nervous. Still humming, she continued to walk, and suddenly, her burgundy eyes grew wide.

"No…impossible…" she said slowly, and she choked out clumps of dark liquid… blood. She turned, trying to see the one behind her. "…I…you…died...you killed…"

The woman behind her twisted the knife slowly. One hand was over her chest, holding the blood from her wound inside, the other holding the knife.

The girl screamed, and was left gasping for air, breathing hard. "M…mother…"

The woman's mouth dropped open. "Alicia?" she gasped. "Alicia?"

"M…mother…" the girl gasped.

"Alicia, no!" the woman shrieked, but it was too late.

The blond girl collapsed onto the floor, blood pouring from the wound in her back, and Precia Testarossa stared, horrified, holding a bloody knife, and brought the knife back to the bloody knife in her heart.

She sank to the ground next to her daughter, and gathered the girl into her arms. "I'm so sorry…Alicia…" she breathed. Her eyes stared at nothing, and her breathing stopped, just as her heart did.

Just as her daughter's heart did.

**Authoress note: I know it was short, I apologize. I wrote this at 10PM, sorry…I did my best. **


	9. Chapter 9: Losing You

**Author's Note: Again, I will NOT be around until next week…! Thanks to Alavon and everyone who is reading this RIGHT THIS SECOND.**

**~Note: I wrote this listening to Slipped Away by Avril Lavigne, in case you want the mood~**

"Alicia? Fate?" asked Nanoha. "I got the…" she was interrupted by a scream. Dropping the drinks onto the ground carelessly, she turned and ran back into the forest, her auburn hair waving behind her as her feet pounded the grass.

A girl with long blond hair was crying over two bodies: one of Precia Testarossa, the other of her twin sister. Nanoha's eyes grew wide, and filled with tears. "Fate-chan?" she asked softly. "What happened to Alicia?"

The girl didn't answer. Nanoha crept over to her and knelt beside her shaking form. There was a knife wound in the dead girl's back, while Precia had a knife still embedded in her heart. Nanoha wondered briefly how she had survived all these days with the wound she had given herself two weeks ago. "Fate-chan?" she asked again.

The girl turned, and look at her with wide auburn eyes that burned into Nanoha like lamps. "I'm…not…Fate…" she whispered slowly, her dark eyes filled with horror as tears ran down her face. "I'm…"

"You're…not Fate-chan?" asked Nanoha slowly, uncomprehendingly. "Then…"

"Fate…Fate...is dead…" whispered Alicia Testarossa. "Fate has…"

"No," Nanoha mouthed the words. "No…"

Alicia closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around the body of Fate Testarossa, hugging the girl's bloodied body to her own. "Fate…"  
"NO!" Nanoha's words were a scream. "NO!"

Alicia didn't look up, and pressed her face into Fate's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Fate…I'm… so sorry…" she murmured.

"NO!!!!!"

***

It was a funeral of someone very precious to two people in the world. Alicia stood at her twin sister's grave, as tears rolled down her cheeks, slowly. Nanoha stood beside her.

Nanoha's face was tearless. She wore a hard, cold expression. Her blue eyes were as dark as a midnight sky. Alicia hardly knew her—but she knew that this was the way Nanoha dealt with the pain that twisted through her heart like it did Alicia's.

Lindy Harlown, Chrono Harlown, Arf and Amy stood together in a line behind Nanoha and Alicia. Arf was crying into Amy's shoulder. But the others only looked incredibly sad. Alicia did not take a second glance at them. She just stared at the marble construction in front of her.

Boquets dotted the bottom of the stone, like colorful snow.

Ugly.

Alicia wanted to rip the flowers away. The world should be dark and cold and gray. The colors did not belong in a dark world. She clenched her fists and wrapped her arms around her chest, where the pain had throbbed ever since that day in the woods.

Nanoha's hands were shaking, and Alicia could see tears in her blue eyes as Lindy stood up to say some words.

"Fate-chan was a sweet and lovely girl…I liked her very—"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Alicia screamed suddenly, interrupting Lindy. Nanoha grabbed her arm, but the blond shook her friend off. "You don't know a thing about Fate," she said, pushing Lindy out of the way, and standing up in front of the group in her place. "None of you know a thing about Fate!"

No one said anything, not even Nanoha.

"Fate was…"

"Alicia," Nanoha stared up at her friend. Blue eyes met maple ones, and Alicia felt as if Nanoha was staring into her very soul. "Fate-chan wouldn't like you yelling,"

Alicia turned away and walked from the gathering.

She could hear the sea.

They had left Fate to rest on a seaside cliff—how ironic. Alicia felt the urge to laugh, and gripped the madness that once posessed her tightly. Controlling it. She walked farther and farther away from the funeral.

"Alicia," Nanoha whispered, and Alicia turned to stare the girl in the eyes. "Alicia…"  
And Nanoha did something Alicia did not expect.

She burst into tears.

Alicia reached out instinctively, and Nanoha leaned into her.

Nanoha was crying.

Alicia wrapped her arms around her friend while she sobbed. It felt like a flipped image of what had happened earlier.

"Fate…Fate…Fate-chan…"

"Nanoha…"

"Fate…" Nanoha cried, and her voice was filled with a blistering agony that shocked even Alicia. "Fate…"

"Nanoha…." Alicia said hesitantly. "Did you love Fate?"

"Of course I did," Nanoha stared up at Alicia with questioning, tear-filled eyes. "Of course I loved her. Didn't you?"

"But…did you love her…?" Alicia felt the words slip awkwardly from her tongue, and waited uncomfortably for the answer.

Nanoha thought for a moment, surprisingly calm for someone shaking with sobs. "I think I did…" she admitted finally. "I think…"

Alicia nodded.

"I think you did, too,"

***

Things did not change, even though there was a gaping wound in the universe, a black hole that lay there, untouched and unnoticed, for everyone to stare at with pity.

They could sympathesize.

But they could not empathize.

Alicia lay on her stomach in the dark room that she shared now with a girl named Arf, in a foster home with Lindy Harlown.

Sometimes Arf would call her Fate.  
It hurt.

There were a lot of things left unsaid. There were a lot of things that Alicia tried not to think about. There were a lot of things that Alicia tried to ignore.

But one thing in particular bothered Alicia the most.

And it was not about Fate.

She had not seen Nanoha Takamachi since Fate's funeral.

Nanoha had loved Fate.

For some reason, this hurt—not anywhere near as much losing Fate hurt, but…Alicia shook off the thoughts as if trying to get rid of a bug. There was…nothing that could be more important than grieving right now.

_"I want you to be happy, Alicia,"_

That was what Fate would have said.

But happiness had to wait.

***

A year. It had been a year since Alicia had held Nanoha on the seaside cliff during Fate's funeral. And a lot had changed.

Precia Testarossa had been buried properly—and Alicia had attended her funeral, alone.

Jail Scaligetti died the following month in a car accident.

Arf and Chrono had gone to boarding school.

Alicia was alone a lot.

For most of her life.

She still had not called on Nanoha—she had probably left this town already anyway. Alicia shook her head.

The doorbell rang.

Alicia shuddered briefly and went to answer it.

The door swung open.

Nanoha Takamachi, age fifteen, stood there.

Her hair was in a side ponytail as opposed to the pigtails she'd used to wear.

"Hello, Alicia," Nanoha said quietly.

Alicia stumbled backwards and Nanoha walked into the house, as if nothing was wrong.

"It's been awhile," Nanoha commented, sitting at the new couch, behind a low coffeetable. "How have you been?"

"Fine," Alicia answered numbly, her dark eyes not focusing on Nanoha as she sat on the couch opposite her friend. "How are you?"

"I've been all right," Nanoha answered, smiling a little—a forced smile that faded quickly into a serious stare. "Alicia, I have something to tell you,"

Alicia closed her eyes. "Yes?"

"Look at me, Alicia," Nanoha whispered. Alicia opened her eyes unwillingly, and stared at the girl in front of her, into her slate blue eyes. "Alicia,"

Alicia clenched her fists and waited.

"I love you, Alicia,"

Alicia closed her eyes again. "I'm…" she began, but had to stop. "I'm…sorry…" she said finally. "But I can only think of you as a friend,"

_Liar._ The blue eyes whispered. _Liar. _

_I can't be the only one who's happy. I don't deserve to be happy. Fate loved Nanoha too, and so…_

_I can't take this away from her._

_I'm sorry._

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's Note: I know this was extremely short, and I apologize deeply. I know that I did this in a very short period of time late at night.**

**And yes, I think this is the end.**

**Playlist:**

**-"Slipped Away" by Avril Lavigne**

**-"I'm With You" by Avirl Lavigne**

**-"God is a Girl" by ???**

**-"All the Things She Said by TATU**

**-"Synchronicity" by Yui Makino**

**-"The Day Has Come" by Within Temptation**

**-"Michiyuki" by ???**

**Thank you, everyone! Special Thanks to Alavon, BPHaru and everyone who has continued reading I'm With You from beginning to end. **

**I WILL be writing a sequel, don't worry. That will come out soon, I promise. I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter, I admit it…I kept being IM'd by my friend, which really threw me off. I'm sorry…I tried to watch a listen to a lot of sad music to get me back into the mood, so yeah… I did love every single review, and I'm sorry if I didn't reply to yours…if it was your first review, I tried to reply, but my most recent flood, I did not reply to. I'm also a very strong NanoFate supporter, don't get me wrong, but….this story did not work out that way. I deeply apologize to all those waiting for a great NanoFate story…**

**Alavon: Thank you so much for helping me with this story! I DID use your ending plan, and I loved the way it turned out! I loved your help, and I hope you'll help me out again someday! **

**BPHaru: Thank you for helping from the beginning and making me plan out the plot and giving me an idea of where to go with this story!**

**THANK YOU: IF YOU READ I'M WITH YOU FROM BEGINNING TO END AND STUCK WITH FATE, NANOHA, ALICIA AND I THROUGH IT ALL.**

**-Lyrical Moon Ema **


End file.
